The prior art is rich with approaches to measurement of bone characteristics using acoustic and other methods with a view to identifying patients in need of treatment for osteoporosis. Many acoustic techniques utilize a first transducer to provide an acoustic signal, typically at ultrasonic frequencies, to the subject from a first external location and a second transducer at a second external location disposed on the opposite side of the bone of interest to receive the signal transmitted by the first transducer through the bone and intervening soft tissue. (The transducers are typically coupled to the subject through a suitable fluid, such as water.) Under one approach, there is determined the rate of Broadband Ultrasound Attenuation (BUA) in the range of approximately 300 to 700 kHz. The BUA is determined by measurement of the attenuation at a plurality of frequencies and then fitting the measurements to a suitable linear logarithmic-amplitude versus frequency scale. However, as an indicator of osteoporotic bone, BUA does not provide a desirable level of specificity and sensitivity.